Distribution of supplies to laundry washers



Aug. 4, 1953 A. ERLANG ER DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES T0 LAUNDRY WASHERSFiled March '7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Arnold 3 v a Yr lg- 53 A.ERLA'NGER 2,547,334

DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES T0 LAUNDRY WASHERS Filed March 7. v1350 2Sheets-Sheet 2 L Arnold Erlaryer 4 Q] Q IATTORN Patented Aug. 4, 1953DISTRIBUTION or SUPPLIES T LAUNDRY .WASHERS Arnold Erlanger, Elizabeth,N. J., assignor to United States Hofiman Machinery Corporation, NewYork, N. Y.,- a corporation of Delaware Application March 7, 1950,Serial No. 148,139

This invention relates to a system of supply and distribution of soapsolutions and other ingradients to washing machines such as are used incommercial laundries and like establishments, especially Where a batterycomprising a plurality of such machines is employed. c v For theirsatisfactory functioning such ma: chines require that severalindependent operations be performed in proper sequence and timed -rela--tion. Thus, after the soiled clothes are placed in the washer, apredetermined quantity of water at suitable temperature is introducedtherein, the usual dump valve being closed. Power isthen applied todrive the clothes container within the washer drum, or, if the Washer beof the shellless type the drier itself, and the required quantity ofsoap solution, is supplied. After the sudsing operation is finshed, thedirty soapy water is drained by opening the dump valve. The sudsingoperation may be repeated with different selected amounts of water andsoap solution. After the final washing operation it is usual, particularly when washing white materials, to employ a bleaching bathconsisting of hot-water to which a suitable quantity of a bleachingagent has been added, and after the bleaching treatment, to rinse theclothes or other articles being treated with several successive baths offresh water at desired temperatures. Then usually follows a sourtreatment, designed to complete this bleaching process. A final rinse,after the fsouri treatment, removes residual chemicals and at this timea desired quantity of bluing may be added to improve the whiteness ofthe washed clothes. The washer drive is then stopped, the fluid dumped,and the washed, bleached and blued articles removed from the clothescontainer. 7

These several operations are now generally carried out automatically bymaster control mechanisms whereby a batch-of material tobe Washed istreated for a given length of time during which it is subjected, asstated above, to the action of Water and various detergent supplies,such as soap, soda, bleach, sour, and blue, it being necessary duringthe cycleof operations first to admit to and then withdraw from thecontainer in their proper order,the water and the various detergentmaterials, the goods beingsubjected tothe action of thevariousmaterials, or mixtures thereof, for different periods of time.

As an example of automatic control devices adapted for the performanceof complete cyclic operation of individual washing machines .in alaundry establishment; including the automatic coordinate control andoperationof the various devices associated with'each such washingmachine, in the performance of a complete Washing operation, referencemay be had to an application for patent, Serial Number 566,177, filed byHubertQEllis, now patented No.*2,50 4,013, April Claims. (01. 68-17) i 211, 1950, for an invention including the use of a perforated chart ortracker sheet, as a primary or master-station device for controllingfluid. The sheet as disclosed in said application has openings adaptedto register v/Tithtracker bar passages, so that when the openingsandpassages are registered, a device in communication with a particulartracker bar passage' is put-in operation, the control device thus actingas a coordinator and timer. A feature of the said Ellis inventionrelates to the construction and operation of a control unit, as a box orchamber, and its use as a primary control station of small size adaptedto be pla'ced'on a machine to be controlled, or to be remotely placed,to control any number of separate devices simultaneously or incoordinated and timed sequence. This control unit provided means bywhich pressure connections could be made with whatever devices were tobe controlled. The unit provided a pres sure chamber as a reservoirrforfluid, for entry through the registered openings of a tracker bar andsheet. The tracker sheet was initially started in its traverse of thetracker bar by manual means and could be stopped at any time by theoperator. However, during its operation the bar and tracker sheetcontrolled all desirably automatic functions of the washing machine. Thedevices and instrumentalities at the washing machine were actuated byrelatively high pressure air which was controlled in its application byair at low pressure containedwithin the said pressure chamber of thecontrol unit."

Among other devices under the control of the control unit, there mightbe mentioned, means for the automatic remote and/or selective control ofthe delivery of variableamounts of water or chemical fluid, means forautomatically and/or selectively setting a water temperature-regulatingdevice and for re-setting the same, means to deliver at the-proper timeexact amounts of soap solution, bleach and sour solutions and bluesolutions when desired. The starting and stopping of the rotation of thewasher and the rate of traverse of the tracker sheet could also be underthe control of the master control unit- The present invention preferablyemploys for the cyclic distribution of supplies to the washer a high-lowpressure pneumatic system similar to that described and has for itsobject the supply of the various detergent materials for a long periodof time, as for a days run in a laundry,

from tanks or other containers of soap solution,

and/or other materials of sizes capable of containing sufiicientquantities of the materials to supply for the desired period of time oneor more of a plurality of washing machines, which latter may be ofdifferent sizes and types.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of theinvention:

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically and in part perspective a system ofapparatus with supply and control lines adapted to perform the objectsof the present invention, including means for the preparation of largequantities of supplies and their controlled distribution to one or morewashing machines constituting a battery of washers;

Fig. 2 shows in plan the diagrammaticlayout of a battery or plurality ofWashing machines; each of which is connected to a plurality of centralsupply tanks for soap and other ingredients, as'in Fig. 1, with thevalves and connect o s f the pneumatic control system omitted to avoidconfusion.

Referrin to the drawings It indicates a soap and alkali container,comprising a make-up or mixing tank section it and astock tank sectionl4, in which is prepared and from which is distributed a day's supply ofsoap solution. A partition I3 separates the two tank sections, asindicated in Fig. 1. Hot and cold water connections [5 and it havinghand-operated valves H and 18 lead into the make-up tank 92. A steampipe 28 supplies steam to tank section 22 by a branch pipe 2| providedwith hand valve 22 and a fluid mixing device or percolator 2d. Thelatter com prises a perforated cylinder 23 of suitable size having adischarge pipe 25 leading to the upper region of tank section it andentered at its other end by steam pipe 2! which terminates in a reducingnozzle l9. Valved tank discharge pipes 25 and 2! lead from the lowerportions of tanks l2 and it and connect with a suction Pipe 28 leadingto a centrifugal or other fluid pum 30. A portion of pipe 23 in advanceof connection 26 is connected to any suitable hot water supply line andis valved, as at 29. A discharge pipe line 3! from pump 36 is disposedto supply stock. soap solution to any or allof the wash ng machinesconnected in the supply system but, as of itself, continues on as areturn pipe by means of which the pumped soap solution constantlycirculates, while the pump is in operation, through either or both ofthe sections of the tank I G. Valvecl branches 32 and 33 or the returnpipe lead respectively into the upper portion of tank sections 12 and M,This line 3! may carry a pressure gauge at and a loaded pressure reliefvalve 35 adapted at all times to maintain a predetermined degree ofpressure in the soap supply line to the various washers. The steamconnection 28 to tank section or stock tank I4 is controlled, inoperation, by a thermostatic valve 3% connecting with a bulb 3i disposedwithin the tank. From the valve 36 the steam pipe leads to a heatingcoil 26' which has an outlet pipe leading into a steam trap 38. Thistrap is connected by conduit to to a suitable sewer, not

shown, and also connects with valved drain pipes 39 and ii leadingrespectively from the bottom of tank sections l2 and i l. Overflow pipes42 and 33 also lead to the sewer connection 49.

In Fig. 1 a connection to pipe 3! is shown which leads soap solution toa washing machine one end only of the washer being shown. Adjacent thesaid end of the washer and usually mounted within or upon an end portionof Washer housing is an enclosed hopper or funnel 5| adapted to receiveand transmit to the interior of the washer soap solution and/or othersupother supply from the funnel into the washer.

A fluid controlled valve 5% in the pipe to is connected for operation ina compressed air or other pressure fluid line 55, which leads from acontrol unit 56 to which fluid is brought by a pressure fluid supplypipe 51. The pressure fluid is controlled for admission to pipe 55 bythe automatic operation of suitable means contained within the controlunit 56, to render operable valve 5 3 for the timely admission of steamto the supply pipe 52.

The supplies funnel 5! is open at its top readily to receive soapsolution, in predetermined quan titles and at predetermined times, fromthe soap solution circulating pipe system 283t3l by means of a pipe Mconnected to the said system as at 45, feeding and return portions ofpipe 3! forming two legs of what is substantially a U bend 46 in thesaid pipe iii. A hand valve ll and an automatically actuated pneumaticvalve it are disposed, as shown, in pipe to, the valve 53 beingcontrolled from control unit 56 through an air pipe connection 49.

Other supplies are furnished as required, and as controlled by the saidcontrol unit, from several supply tanks, as shown in the drawings. Thesetanks comprise a tank 60 containing a days supply of bleach, a tank 6|having within a days supply of sour and a tank 62 containing a dayssupply of bluing. Each of these smaller supply tanks has a lockable,removable lid, as lids 63, 64 and 65, through each of which a valvedconnection, as 66, 67 and 68, is made with air supply pipe 69, suppliedwith air from the high pressure pneumatic source reduced to from 8 to 10p. s. i. by any suitable reducing means as valve '10. After connectingwith each of the tanks the pipe 69 terminates in a pressure relief valveH. Each day's supply of laundry washing ingredients may be admitted tothe individual tanks in any suitable'manner, as by temporary removal ofthe lids; and water to mix with the ingredients or to wash out the tanksmay be had from any water connection, as 12, to which a hose may beconnected if desired.

Each of these supply tanks is equipped with a valved drain connection,as 13, 14, 5, to the sewer conduit 40. Each is also equipped with asight glass as T6 and a fluid outlet pipe, as IT, 18, 19, which extendsconveniently adjacent to each washing machine. As shown in Fig. 1 theseseveral supply connections comprise pipes 80, 8! and 82 extendingbetween the pipes ll, 18 and 1'9 and housing 83, surrounding the funnel5|, in the same manner as soap connection 44; and like pipe M eachconnection is equipped with a manual valve, as 84, 85, 86, and adiaphragm or similar air-operated valve, as 81, 88, 89. Air connectionslead compressed air from the control unit 56 to the respective valves,as shown. Thus at the required time and for a predetermined period oftime during the operation of washer 5! under cyclic control by the unit56, each laundry supply will be furnished in exact quantity to thewasher supply funnel 5| by timed automatic operation of the control unit56.

With reference to the latter it may be explained here that each controlunit is furnished with a drive for passing a perforated sheet .or

chart across a tracker'bar, the openings of which are connected withdevices for admitting compressed air to the several automaticallyoperated valves 48, 54, 81, 88, 89 and also to a similar valve 90disposed in a water line 9| leading through said valve to a spray nozzle92 disposed above the funnel 5|, within the housing 83.

The control unit 56 and its use as a means to control the automaticsupply valves is not specifically claimed in this application as, perse, it is generally similar to the tracker control unit described andclaimed in the Elli application above mentioned. And, as in the saidapplication, the control extends to r'nany other functional devices, asdump valve, hot and cold water control to washer, washer drive, etc.

With respect to the discharge of laundry ingredients from tanks 60, SIand 62 it will be readily understood that the supply in each tank is atall times under the pressure of the air admitted above the liquid withinthe tanks as supplied under the pressure control of air pressurereducing valve 10 and pressure relief valve II. This pressure will forceeach laundry agent into the funnel 5| in its turn. As each supply pipeis open to discharge into the funnel for a predetermined length of time,through a pipe having an outlet of known cross sectional area and at aknown pressure, the quantity of each supply discharged into the funnelwill be measured with great exactitude, and will not vary unless theperiod of supply or the pressure is altered.

With respect to the pipes for discharging bleach, sour and blue into thefunnel 51, it is to be noted that each is provided with a nozzlefitting, as 93, which restricts the opening to substantially less sizethan the tubing constituting the supply connections 80, BI and 82. Thisis necessary to attain satisfactory control of the supplies other thansoap, as the exactitude of their measurement must be greater than withsoap.

As the description so far relates more particularly to the disclosure ofFig. 1 and thus to the distribution of supplies to the washer 50,reference may be had to Fig. 2, which shows in plan view the soap tankl0, and bleach, sour and blue tanks 60, BI and 62, each connected (as inFig. l), to a plurality of washers, indicated by reference numerals 2,4, 6, 1. The washers may be of one kind or of a variety of kinds ortypes, and each is connected with the distribution system in the samemanner as the washer 50 in Fig. 1. In this figure however the airconnections from the individual control units to the several washershave been omitted for the sake of clarity, althoughthe control units 56are indicated in operative relation to each and every washer, and thefunnel housing 83 is also indicated in operative relation to eachwasher. Otherwise, pipes. etc. of the system are the same as in Fig. 1,with some omissions, and have been given the same reference characters.

The description of the operation of the system, which now follows, ismore particularly directed to the single washer layout shown in Fig. 1,for it is thought that a detailed discussion of the other washingmachines belonging to a battery, as disclosed in Fig. 2, will not benecessary, and it is to be understood that Where reference is now madeto the supply pipes for the different laundry supplies, that such pipesare to be considered as extending to everyone of the washers indicatedin Fig. 2, and that in the case of the soap solution system thedischarge pipe from the soaptank will be understood to extend to eachwasher'included in the system and that the return pipe to the soap tankis also common to the several washers.

To carry out a days operation of the plant, after the soap and othersupply tanks have been prepared, it will be understood from what hasbeen said above that then it is only necessary to start and stop theautomatic cyclic operation'of each or any washer, at any time throughoutthe day to provide the various supplies in proper quantity to suchwasher or washers in accordance with the chart controlling the cyclicoperation of each such machine.

In the morning the plant operators first job is to prepare the severalsupply tanks. In the case of supplies other than soap this simply meansseeing that the tanks are filled to the required level with theappropriate supply material and to establish the air pressure above theliquid in each tank. From that point on, each supply will be deliveredin measured quantity to the supply funnel of each machine as desired andit is to be noted that after each supply enters a particular hopper, itis automatically injected into the washer by operation of valve 54, insteam pipe 53, the valve in each Water pipe 9| being automaticallyoperated immediately thereafter to spray water into the hoppercompletely to remove the last supply used before the reception of thenext in the order of charted operation. At the end of the day the supplytanks, other than soap, may be drained'and cleaned by means of the drainvalves 13, 14, 15 and the sewer connection 40, and are thus made cleanfor the reception of the next days supply.

In the case of soap the procedure issomewhat different for it must beremembered that the soap tank is included in a closed circuit with thesupply piping to all of the washers to be supplied therefrom.

The operators first mornin duty with respect to the soap solution is tosee that valve in pipe 33 to stock tank [4 is closed and valve 32' inreturn pipe 32 to make up tank I2 is open. A measured quantity of soapand alkali is then admitted to tank l2 in any desired manner and mixedwith the desired amount of hot water, from pipe I5, within the makeuptank and is cooked by steam from pipe 20 which passes through thepercolator 24. This cooking continues until the soap is thoroughly insolution and has reached the required degree of temperature (-200), inaccordance with the laundry standard employed.

Then the next step comprises starting the pump 33 after opening valve26' in pipe 26, closing valve 21 in pipe 21, opening valve 33' in pipe33 and closing valve 32'. The soap solution is thus pumped from themakeup tank through the piping 28, 3|, 33 into the stock tank l4, inwhich tank the solution is maintained at a predetermined temperature bymeans of the thermostatically controlled steam -coil 20, the dischargefrom which is trapped at 38 before passing to the sewer pipe 40.Thereafter the soap solution circulates through the closed circuitcomprising reopened valve 21, pipe 28, pump 30, pipe 3|, return pipe 33and stock tank l4. The pressure in this closed system is maintained atany desired point by the loaded regulating valve 35 and is indicatedupon gauge 34. As will be understood from the above, soap solution isdischarged from the stock tank I in closely controlled quantities and atsuch times as the control unit of any machine determines, or whenever anautomatic soap valve- 48 is operated. For convenience hand-controlledvalves have been shown in addition to the pneumatic valves in thevarious supply pipes. This however is a matter of choice and may beomitted. It will be remembered that the stock tank is made of suflicientsize to hold a volume of stock solution sufficient for a whole daysoperation of all the machines connected in the automatic system. Thetemperature of the stock solution may be held at about 140 F. Thepressure in the recirculating soap line is maintained at about 15 lbs.The compressed air source may be at about 75 lbs. and the supply to thepressurized supply tanks at about 8 lbs. Hot and cold water, as will beunderstood, will be supplied as required to any washing machine of thebattery under the control of any known type of mixing valve, not shownin the drawings, and such mixing valve may also be under the control or"the appropriate control unit 56.

At the end of the day, or other washing period, the valves in the soapcirculation line are set to empty the stock tank and return theremainder of the solution into the make-up tank, where it may be storedfor admixture with a fresh portion made up in the make-up tank the nextday. The tanks l2 and I4 may be drained, after being pumped out, bymeans of the drain pipes 33 and ii to the sewer pipe G0, and may beflushed at such periods with clean water from the hose connection '12 orother source, not indicated.

of the above invention and as many changes might be made in theembodiments above set forth without departing from the scope thereof, itis to be understood that all matter hereinafter set forth or shown inthe accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a supplies system for laundry washing machines, in combination, aplurality of washers each having a control unit, a supply tank tocontain washing solution, the quantity of said solution being sufiicientfor the complete operation for a day or other desired period of any oneor more of said washers, a supply receptacle for each washer adapted toreceive successively "from said tanks separate charges of the varioussolutions sufficient for a single run of said washer, means connectingsaid supply tank to said receptacles, means to inject the contents ofsaid receptacle into said washers, and means associated individuallywith each of said connecting means and with the related injecting meansand cooperatively associated with the related control unit to effectdelivery successively and selectively to said receptacle and washer acharge of said supply.

2. In a supplies system for laundry washing machines, in combination, aplurality of washers each having a control unit, a supply tank tocontain washing solution, the quantity of said solution being sufiicientfor the complete operation for a day or other desired period of anyoneor more of said washers, a supply receptacle for each washer adapted toreceive from said tank separate charges of the said solution sufiicientfor a single run of said washer, means connecting said supply tank tosaid receptacle, means to inject the contents of said receptacle intosaid washer, means associated individually with each of said connectingmeans and with the related injecting means and cooperatively associatedwith the related control unit to efiect delivery to said receptacle andwasher a charge of said supply, and means operatively associated withsaid related control unit and automatically operative thereby to supplya flush-out charge of water to said receptacle after the injection ofeach charge of said solution.

3. In a supplies system for laundry washing machines, in combination, aplurality of washing machines each provided with a control unit forcyclic operation thereof, a Wash solution supply tank adapted to containa quantity of said solution sufiicient for the operation for a day orother period of time of any or all of said washers, a supply receptaclefor each washer adapted to receive from said supply tank a charge ofsaid supply sufficient for a single run of said washer, means connectingsaid supply tank to said receptacle, injecting means for transferringthe contents of said receptacle to said washer, means for supplyingflush-out water to said receptacle and means associated with saidconnecting means and with said injecting means and cooperative with saidcontrol unit to deliver successively to said receptacle and washer acharge of said supply and immediately thereafter a charge of flush-outwater.

i. In a supplies system for laundry washers, in combination, a tankcomprising a central source of supply of a washing agent in solution, aplurality of washers disposed in operative relation to said source, aconstantly supplied conduit connected to said source and havingindependent supply connections with each of said washers and comprisinga normally closed circuit beginning and ending in the supply tank andmeans for producing constant circulation of said washing agent throughsaid circuit; and a plurality of control units each cooperativelyassociated with the supply connection to a certain one of said washers,whereby said source may be rendered effective to deliver separatelypredetermined amounts of said solution to one or more of said washers asdesired.

5. A system as described in claim 1 in which said supply tank is dividedinto a mixing chamber and a stock chamber respectively for firstpreparing and then holding a supply of said agent sufficient for a longperiod of operation of said washing machines, means connecting eachchamber in said circulation circuit, and manually operated means in eachsaid connecting means, whereby either chamber may be put in or taken outof the said circulation circuit.

ARNOLD ERLANGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 888,576 Bartholomew May 26, 1908 2,030,394 Pierce Feb. 11,1936 2,149,0 6 Finnell Feb. 28, 1939 2,244,686 Garrison June 10, 19412,430,668 Chamberlain Nov. 11, 1947 2,500,042 Nutting Mar. '7, 19502,504,013 Ellis Apr. 11, 1 950

